Court Order                                             

Last month, Monsanto was court-ordered to pay $289 million to a school groundskeeper, Dewayne Johnson, who claimed that the company’s weedkillers caused his terminal, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer. The court deliberated and found that Monsanto failed to warn Mr. Johnson and other consumers of the risks found in its weed killers thus resulting in a $289 million payout. Monsanto is facing more than 5,000 similar lawsuits across the county.

Monsanto claims that it is “minimally toxic to humans” but the research shows otherwise.

Trends in America

Have you noticed that more and more certain conditions and chronic diseases seem to be plaguing us? In 1965, only 4% of the US population had chronic diseases. Whereas in 2015, 46% of the US population had chronic diseases and yes... that number is going up. In addition, conditions like autism, attention deficit, major depression, asthma, and allergies are also becoming more and more common. WHY? It could have to do glyphosate being saturated on our crops, into the ground, and in our water.

How?

Over 40 years ago, the aggressive chemical called Glyphosate (Roundup) started being used as an agricultural herbicide. This chemical has an active ingredient which is proven to be FAR worse than DDT (a pesticide banned in the 1970’s because of its detrimental harm on the environment and human health.) It took decades to see the damaging consequences of the exposure to DDT, but we are immediately seeing the destructive results from glyphosate. This deadly poison is relentless and once it gets in the soil our foods are growing in, the foods will inevitably be contaminated, inflicting us with doses of this chemical. The negative impact on our body is usually manifested over time as the inflammation slowly damages cellular systems throughout the body. It also acts as a hormone disruptor and may lead to a harmful imbalance in our intestinal flora. “Consequences are most of the diseases and conditions associated with a Western diet, which include gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, autism, infertility, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.”

What to do?

Avoiding glyphosate seems overwhelming, but it can be done by following these suggestions:

1. Source of Food. Know where your food is coming from. If possible, grow your own produce or get it from a trusted farmers market.
2. News and Research. Stay updated with news and research on the subject so you know the newest emerging research on harmful chemicals.
3. Choose Organic. Although, it’s not a fix-all, it’s one way to minimize the likelihood of harmful pesticides.
4. Nutritional Labels. Review the ingredient list and avoid ingredients that are notorious for having higher levels of glyphosate residue: canola oil, vegetable oil, soy oil, and corn products.
5. Petition for “Glyphosate-Free” Labeling. As more awareness is spread, the more likely companies will have to test and label their products as being glyphosate-free or not!

Final Thoughts: Please share your thoughts below! Does glyphosate concern you? Any suggestions on how you avoid it?   

Resources:

http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416

https://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Glyphosate-Residue

https://www.betternutrition.com/ask-the-nutritionist/glyphosate-in-foods

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/roundup-glyphosate-and-health